Explore Some More: Ruth

Welcome to the first edition of Explore Some More, the web based counter part to our Explore Together Sundays. We’re aiming to give you a flavour of the morning and share the links to some of the resources we used and found along the way.

This Sunday we looked at Ruth chapter one, we watched this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va6eMzP9GPA that tells the story of a family that goes from one tragedy to the next. Making the trip from Bethlehem to Moab and back.



Even though chapter one is a bit dismal, we still learnt a lot and started to answer these questions:

• What can you learn from Rush and Naomi?
• How does it feel that you are not alone even in the most difficult situation?
• What does this story teach you about God?
• What do you want to say to God today?

I really enjoyed preparing this seesion and there is so much more to be discovered in the rest of the book. I read it a few times getting ready for this session and promise its not all doom and gloom. One great way of getting into the story is by watching this this 40 minute long dramatic reading of Ruth set to music - http://iainandcora.co.uk/video-recording. If that’s not your cup of tea the Bible Project have a great synopsis of the story with helpful background information - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h1eoBeR4Jk or if you have some time and want to be challenged check out this sermon by Timothy Keller https://player.fm/series/timothy-keller-sermons-podcast-by-gospel-in-life-83408/an-immigrants-courage it’s 50 minutes long and nearly had me crying at the end.



If you like to read then links to the articles we used in the reading zone are below and if you really want to go deep into the Ruth story get hold of a copy of Joshua, Judges and Ruth for Everyone its a great read. Hope you enjoy exploring Ruth’s story - let me know how you get on.

Articles

• http://www.jubilee-centre.org/the-famine-the-foreigner-and-the-threshing-floor/
• https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otc.cfm?id=1500
• https://www.rzim.org/read/a-slice-of-infinity/foreign-and-belonging
• https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/ruth-sweet-and-bitter-providence - Ruth chapter 1
• https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/ruth-under-the-wings-of-god - Ruth chapter 2
• https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/ruth-strategic-righteousness - Ruth chapter 3
• https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/ruth-the-best-is-yet-to-come - Ruth chapter 4